Frost at 40: 2006 vs. USC

Editor's Note: Throughout the 2012-13 athletics season, Jackrabbit Athletics will spotlight 40 of the top moments in the 40-year history of Frost Arena. This week's segment focuses on the Jackrabbit women's basketball team's victory over Southern California during the 2006-07 season.

South Dakota State tied a school record with 36 made free throws, and the Jackrabbits needed nearly every one in knocking off 19th-ranked Southern California, 67-63, before a crowd of 3,677 at Frost Arena on Nov. 17, 2006.

The Jackrabbits improved to 2-0 in beating and hosting a ranked opponent for the first since making the transition to NCAA Division I during the 2004-05 season.

Trailing 9-6 early on, SDSU closed the half with a 24-9 run, holding the Women of Troy without a field goal for more than 10 minutes. Freshman Maria Boever tied the game at 9-all with a three-pointer and Stacie Oistad gave the Jackrabbits the lead for good with a three-pointer with 12 minutes remaining in the front half.

SDSU slowly built a double-digit lead thanks in large part to 18 first-half turnovers by USC, taking a 17-point advantage at 30-13 on two Boever free throws at the 2:49 mark. The Jackrabbits led 33-18 at halftime.

In the second half, USC chipped away at the Jackrabbit lead, cutting the margin to seven, 43-36, at the halfway mark behind the tandem of Eshaya Murphy and Chloe Kerr. SDSU then scored the next seven points in one minute and 35 seconds to build the Jackrabbit lead back up to 14.

The Women of Troy mounted another late comeback, pulling to with three at 64-61 with 38 seconds left on back-to-back three-pointers by Jamie Hagiya.

Just as they did in their season opener at Middle Tennessee State, the Jackrabbits sealed the game at the line by scoring their last 13 points on free throws. Megan Vogel made 8-of-10 attempts in the final 71 seconds and finished the night 15-of-18 at the line en route to a team-high 22 points. She also led the Jackrabbits with seven rebounds.

Jennifer Warkenthien, who hit a pair of three-pointers in the first half, ended the night with 13 points. Andrea Verdegan added 10 points, including a pair of threes midway through the second half, before fouling out.

Physical throughout, the game featured 70 free throws, 60 fouls and 43 turnovers. Four different players fouled out, including three from USC.

Verdegan scored SDSU’s last field goal of the game with 8:17 remaining. SDSU survived despite making just 12-of-47 field-goal attempts, 25.5 percent, including only five two-point baskets. The Jackrabbits were slightly better from three-point range, making 7-of-21 attempts. SDSU’s 47 free-throw attempts also set a Jackrabbit single-game record.

Murphy, a preseason All-America and State Farm Wade Trophy candidate, finished with a double-double performance of 23 points and 14 rebounds. Kerr scored all 15 of her points in the second half.

The Women of Troy shot just under 33 percent, 19-of-58, including 6-of-18 from three-point range. USC converted 19-of-23 attempts at the line, 82.6 percent.

USC also held a 42-38 rebounding advantage, but committed 25 turnovers for the game, compared to 18 by the Jackrabbits.